The Getty Conservation Institute worked with archaeologists from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and the Department of Archaeology in Belize to address some of the problems of conserving archaeological sites in humid tropical environments. The site of Xunantunich, an ancient Maya city inhabited between C.E. 700 and 1100, was chosen as the venue for project activities because it offered an opportunity to integrate conservation with an ongoing excavation.

The collaborative project focused on several areas: scientific research and testing to understand the processes of deterioration of limestone and stucco in humid, tropical environments; conservation of excavated Maya structures; and practical training in architectural conservation and workshops on management planning.